German Parliament to describe slaughter of Armenians as genocide in resolution for anniversary

BERLIN – Germany's Parliament is set to use the term genocide in a resolution marking the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago, and the foreign minister is expressing understanding for those who use the word.

A draft of a non-binding motion drawn up by the governing parties, to be debated Friday, says the Armenians' fate is "exemplary for the history of mass destruction, ethnic cleansing, expulsions and genocides" in the 20th century.

Germany's government has so far avoided using the term, which Turkey rejects.

Still, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Monday's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper: "One could want to summarize what happened then in the term 'genocide,' and I can well understand the reasons and certainly the feelings for that." But he questioned whether a "charged political debate" is helpful.